The Down Low

SUMMERTIME RECORDS: Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise

May 25, 2011

Does anyone else still have the fear? This winter self-loathing is still hanging around. There are constant reminders that the ‘good’ just can’t get started. Take my ‘93 civic: the engine is willing but the spirit isn’t.

The ‘good’ I’m talking about is the summer. This summer is kicking and screaming to be let in but the spring refuses to let it in. Every time summer gets a foot in the door, it promptly trips over it.

Fear not, eventually it’ll get in. And when it does the summer is going to take all your troubles and flush them down the drain.

Gas at $5? Pish posh! Terrorism plots? Silly! Relationships in the tank? No worries! The summer is here to wash you in sunshine and make you forget that there ever was a problem in the world worth caring about. I don’t mean to say it’ll be OK to put your head in the ground and plug your ears every time you happen upon an article about debt limits but let’s just take a few months off from getting so worked up about everything. Go get drunk, have fun, play hooky. Let’s all take an oath to put everything off until September.

But where do you start this transformation from winter Scrooge to blissfully ignorant summer-creature as the weather struggles to catch up to the calendar? The music, of course. I took the time to search the worldwide Web and come up with a list of artists and albums that are sure to tickle your brain stem and fondle the cockles of your heart as the weather finally snaps out of it. Some of these you’ve heard of and some I didn’t even hear of until I took the time to listen. I do guarantee that 95percent of these are going to be very much worth your time.

So, onward to the summer releases that will make your days drift away (The artists in bold should be of particular interest). Enjoy!

NOTEWORTHY MAY RELEASE (May 23):

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside — “Dirty Radio”

Ms. Ford and her Sound Outside is straight rockabilly-jazz-rock. It’s an explosion of reverb and attitude that will make you weak in the knees.

JUNE

June 5:

Gardens & Villa — “Gardens & Villa”

June 6:

Arctic Monkeys — “Suck It And See”

June 7:

F*cked Up — “David Comes to Life”

Communist Daughter — “Soundtrack to The End”

Black Lips — “Arabia Mountain”

June 14:

Woods — “Sun & Shade”

Vetiver — “The Errant Charm”

Niki & The Dove — “The Fox”

June 21:

Anni Rossi — “Heavy Meadow”

Bon Iver — “Self-titled”

Get ready to get very sad...again.

Lil Wayne — “Tha Carter IV”

June 28:

Handsome Furs — “Sound Kapital”

Mark my words this will be one of the best albums of 2011. I saw with my own eyes a performance by this absolutely beautiful duo and if they managed to record what they played live it’s going to easily be just the best goddamn thing ever.

Shabazz Palaces — “Black Up”

JULY

July 12

Washed Out — “Within and Without”

“Life of Leisure” was a really great dreamy electro-pop record. It reminds me of a lost soundtrack for a John Hughes movie that was never made. From what I’ve been able to hear, this album is more of the same (which is always good).

July 19

Texum — “Different Folks for Different Strokes”

AUGUST

August 2

Fruit Bats — “Tripp”

August 16

The War on Drugs — “Slave Ambient”

This is some great rock n’ roll. Like all the holy rollers before him, Adam Granduciel, the front man for War on Drugs, is a master of the craft and has really made a lovely album that makes rock seem fresh all over again. You can listen to the entire thing on www.secretlycanadian.com.